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“What do you mean?” I ask.
“You aren’t going to college. You only work part-time at the restaurant. Don’t you have something you want to do?”
“They’re going to give me more hours.”
He rolls his eyes. “Okay? And?”
The thought of leaving home always overtook my thoughts of my actual future. I don’t have a plan. Not one.
“I’m going to continue to save up money until either Eloise kicks me out or I have enough to feel comfortable to leave.”
“Billie, that’s not really a plan.”
I love that he cares, but I also need him to understand that my only goal is saving right now.
“Listen, I’ll come up with something great for my life once I escape the hell I currently live in.”
“Is it still that bad?” His whole face scrunches at the thought.
“She threw a party with her friends at the house…on my birthday. When I confronted her about it, she told me the reason she planned it on my birthday was because she didn’t realize what day it was,” I huff. “Then she proceeded to call me a lazy bitch in front of her friends. That was because I left a coaster out and didn’t put it back in its proper place,” I add sarcastically.
“You didn’t tell me any of that.”
“I didn’t want to talk about her anymore, it was my birthday.”
“Why don’t you just move out now instead? You’re eighteen.”
Finally, he’s getting it.
“Because, I’m not so sure I want to live here anymore,” I let slip out.
His face falls. “What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean. I want to be as far from Eloise as I can be.”
“What about your dad?”
“He’s made his choice. Now, I get to make mine.”
He nods.
After a minute, I finally look over at him. His eyes are narrowed, staring at me. He stands up, with a mischievous grin.
“Wanna jump?”
His confidence is contagious, and before I can rethink it, I start toward the edge, looking out at the water six feet down. We end at the ledge together, my heart pounding in my throat.
“On three?” he proposes.
I start to count, preparing for the freezing water.
“One…two…three!” I scream.
With a large leap, we jump into the water, our laughter and screams echoing. The rush of the freezing water feels both helpless and freeing all at once.
When I emerge to the surface, Sean pops up at the same time. With the waterfall behind him, it’s a perfect image. I take a little snapshot in my brain so I'll never forget it.
I’m breathless and find my arms wrapping around him. I grin, a shiver falling over me.
